Chaps bounce back from first loss

Published 6:00 pm, Thursday, February 18, 2010

ROSWELL, N.M. — The No. 2-ranked Midland College men’s basketball team bounced back from its first loss of the season by trouncing New Mexico Military Institute, 107-68, Thursday at Cahoon Armory.

Jonathon Simmons led the Chaparrals (27-1, 11-1 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference) with 26 points, Kenny Moore had 22, Darrell Williams added 14, Guy Landry had 12 and Caleb Dean chipped in with 10.

“We were looking forward to getting back on the floor and obviously we were in a different situation than we had been in all season,” MC coach Ross Hodge said. “I thought we did a good job of putting the last game behind us and improved on some specific things.”

Hodge said the Chaps only had nine turnovers in the game, which is a big improvement from the 19 they had in Monday’s 57-53 loss at Howard College.

“That’s something we’ve talked a lot about — talking care of the ball. And tonight we did a good job of that,” Hodge said.

The Chaps also did a phenomenal job at the free-throw line, going 31 of 37 from the charity stripe.

Moore and Simmons went a combined 14-of-17 from the free-throw line. Hodge said getting to the foul line was one of the things Simmons did very well on this night.

“He did a good job of being aggressive,” said Hodge about Simmons.

NMMI (9-18, 1-11) was led by Sedric Martin, with a game-high 27 points, while Evan Gilliland added 19.

With the victory, MC stayed in a tie with Howard College, a 60-46 winner over Western Texas College on Thursday, for first place in the WJCAC standings and two games remaining in the regular season.